Samson Complex: Likud Loons Want Bibi To Tell US To Drop Dead
Say what you will about Prime Minister Netanyahu. But he understands his options are limited in dealing with President Obama because the United States provides the money and weaponry that keeps Israel afloat. He knows that it is the bank that holds the mortgage that ultimately owns the house.
So he's conflicted. He does not want to defy the United States because, not being insane, he understands that the United States is in charge. So he's torn and some say even losing it in the face of US pressure.
Not so his supporters. They think he should just tell America to go to hell. To hell with the aid. To hell with American support. To hell with everything but Israel's right to keep the territories.
Here is a typical example of what Bibi has to deal with.
No, I don'y pity him. This is the Israeli right and it is a sizable chunk of the population. It is a constituency he helped create. Crazy people. They are the least patriotic people in Israel because they would give up the whole state to preserve the settlements. In short, they are Israel haters.
They remind me of the author and former CIA crazyman Michael Scheuer and Fox's Glenn Beck who agreed the other day that they prayed for a devastating Al Qaeda attack on America to make America wake up to the dangers of... Al Qaeda. In other words, they are willing to see the country destroyed to prove a point.
Hee is the money quote from today's Jerusalem Post.
"The pushy presumptuousness toward Israel becomes inevitable. Israel earned the disdain it encounters everywhere. Foreign governments take liberties against Israeli sovereignty that would be inconceivable against any other independent country. It's doubtful any other state anywhere would be treated with similar disrespect, not just by inimical leaders like Obama, but even by emissaries like George Mitchell. Ours is to do their bidding even at our palpable peril. "
Israel has two trading partners: the US and the EU into whose markets it sells its re-exported cut diamonds, citrus fruit, computer software and Uzi machine guns.
We can do without these non-essential goods and services. But without these export markets - Israel goes belly-up inside one month.
Then AIPAC would need to instruct its troops again in Congress, but the EU market would be lost.
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July 12, 2009 10:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
One problem -- is cutting off aid and support for a defiant Israel politically possible in the US, or is that just a way of kissing off Florida's electoral votes for a generation?
July 12, 2009 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
No one advocates that seriously. Certainly not me.
A generation? Since the people you are talking about are in their 70's and 80's, I don't think so. Unless you believe that the baby boomers (the new senior citizens) have the same attitudes as their parents. Hint: we don't.
July 12, 2009 11:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
No one advocates that seriously.
Do you mean cutting financial aid? I have been puzzled for some what was your position on this option. What could Obama do otherwise if, in fact, the Israelis simply defied US demands to stop expanding the settlements? If he did nothing, I fear that Obama have his authority undermined. Surely, you would not wish that to happen?
July 12, 2009 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks MJ. I hadn't considered the demographics there. Maybe we CAN put a little pressure on.
July 12, 2009 8:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
No one advocates that seriously. Certainly not me.
Well if there is no credible threat of US sanctions or cutoffs of aid, MJ, then doesn't it follow that Netanyahu's right wing supporters are actually correct in thinking Israel can afford to tell Obama to drop dead? What harmful consequences will result from defiance?
I continue to be puzzled about how you expect the US to influence the Israelis to do things they clearly don't want to do if you are unwilling to embrace the use of even the mildest tools of persuasion.
July 13, 2009 7:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
It is well past time to cut off aid to Israel. At the very least, puppets should jump when you pull their strings.
July 12, 2009 12:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Israel doesn't need the aid, for she is a relatively rich country. Most of that aid goes back to the US anyway, to the military industrial complex. Israel also doesn't need US military assistance. With dozens of nukes, no country will ever attack Israel.
So those people are not crazy. Israel can keep all the territories she wants, and tell the US to go to hell. Nothing short of trade sanctions will put enough pressure on Israel to reconsider the wisdom of having colonies in the 21st century, and how likely are the US and the EU to enact sanctions against the jewish state?
Plus, there are worse offenders of human rights like Saudi Arabia or China, can you imagine trade sanctions against those countries? So sanctions against Israel are impossible, which means Israel can do whatever she wants, which means she will keep control of all the colonies.
Palestinians from now on should demand to vote in Israeli elections, because they will never have a viable state of their own.
July 12, 2009 5:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
You make some very valid points, unfortunately!
However, although public opinion in the US is changing, it is a very slow process.
The EU is a different story. Although Israel has still a number of advocates in high places, opinion has changed and is changing rapidly. There is now every expectation that the EU-Israel Association Agreement on bilateral Trade will be suspended in view of Israel's gross breach of its provisions on human rights.
In the UK, a majority of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are appalled at the atrocities perpetrated by the IDF and will probably vote for a suspension. There is a similar groundswell of opinion from France, Belgium, Poland and Ireland.
Without a European market, Israel's economy would 'fall off a cliff' in weeks and she would be forced to adopt a shift in political paradigm or go bust.
July 12, 2009 9:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Inconceivable?
They keep using that word. I do not think that it means what they think that it means.
July 13, 2009 12:46 PM | Reply | Permalink